COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 16 Maryland baseball team will look to build off its series sweep of Nebraska with a midweek clash against West Virginia Tuesday. First pitch has been moved to 3 p.m. due to weather.
Leading it off
West Virginia
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium
Live Audio: Maryland Baseball Network
Live Stats: umterps.com
Twitter: @TerpsBaseball
*Parking Information: Parking in Union Lane Garage is $3 per hour from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily.
• Maryland swept past Nebraska this weekend, outscoring the Huskers 22-10 over three games. In game three, Kevin Smith hit the game tying home run in the seventh before scoring the winning run on an error in the ninth. It's Maryland's first walk-off win of the season.
• Maryland is 31-18-1 against West Virginia all-time.
• Sophomore second baseman Brandon Lowe captured Big Ten Player of the Week honors on March 23 after a spectacular performance at the plate. Lowe batted .522 (12-for-23) with eight runs scored and seven RBIs. He recorded two home runs, two triples and two doubles along with the game tying RBI against Elon.
• Lowe hit his seventh home run against Nebraska. His total ranks second in the conference.
• In its first year in the Big Ten, Maryland has put together an offensive performance that paces the conference. The Terrapins lead the league in slugging percentage (.451), on-base percentage (.392), runs scored (215), home runs (28) and walks (137). Maryland ranks third in average at .287.
• Maryland's pitching staff has been mowing opposing batters down all season. The Terps lead the Big Ten with 247 strikeouts on the season, including 88 struck out looking, also a conference high.
• Third baseman Jose Cuas is third in the Big Ten in RBIs with 27 and ranks t-4 in the conference with five home runs. Cuas is fourth in the Big Ten in runs scored (29).
• Alex Robinson has been untouchable this season in relief. The junior has not given up an earned run over 13.0 innings of work and has 17 strikeouts.
• Kevin Mooney earned his second save of the season in the win over Minnesota set a new Maryland career saves record (24). The record was previously held by Brett Cecil. Mooney recorded his third save against Michigan.
Highly rated
| Terps in the Polls |
|
D1Baseball |
Baseball America |
USA Today/ESPN |
NCBWA |
| Team |
16 |
19 |
16 |
21 |
• After a historic 2014, Maryland has received its highest preseason ranking in history from multiple polls. D1Baseball.com had the Terrapins the highest at No. 14.
• Maryland is the highest ranked Big Ten team in most major polls.
Preseason Honors
INF Jose Cuas
• Perfect Game Preseason All-Conference Team.
INF Brandon Lowe
• D1Baseball Preseason All-American (3rd Team)
• Big Ten Player to Watch
RHP Kevin Mooney
• Big Ten Player to Watch
• 2015 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
RHP Mike Shawaryn
• D1Baseball Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.
• Big Ten Player to Watch
B1G Favorite
• The Terps have been picked to top the Big Ten in its inaugural season in the conference. The conference's coaches voted on the top six teams.
1. Maryland
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Indiana
5. Michigan
6. Ohio State
• Maryland is also the consensus selection to win the conference among national publications.
Super 2014
• Following a 43-year absence, Maryland advanced to the NCAA Tournament, and then swept the Columbia Regional, beating Old Dominion and South Carolina, to make their first trip to a Super Regional in team history. The squad's first victory in that regional over the Gamecocks snapped the home team's 28-game postseason winning streak. Maryland fell one game short of a trip to Omaha, falling to Virginia in the Super Regional.
• Maryland set a school record for wins in a season with 40. The Terps notched its third straight winning season, a streak not seen since 1976-78.
• The Terrapins left the ACC with a bang, notching its first winning season in the conference since 1981 and appearing in the ACC title game for the first time since 1976
• The Terps' success did not fly under the radar. Maryland finished the season with its highest ever ranking, rising to as high as No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Terps finished the season ranked 14th by Baseball American, Collegiate Baseball News and Perfect Game. The NCBWA ranked the Terps No. 16 in its final poll.
Postseason Plaudits
• The Terps had five players named to the Columbia All-Regional Team led by centerfielder Charlie White (graduated), who was named the regional's most outstanding player. Jose Cuas (third base), Kevin Martir (catcher) Mike Shawaryn (pitcher) and LaMonte Wade (first base) joined White on the squad.
• Shawaryn and Brandon Lowe earned Freshman All-American honors from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, the NCBWA and Perfect Game. Shawaryn recorded a Maryland single-season record 11 victories while Lowe paced the Terps in average (.348), slugging (.464), on-base percentage (.464) and triples (3).
• Lowe, White and Jake Stinnett all earned All-ACC honors. Stinnett and White were named to the second team while Lowe was a third-team selection.
• Maryland had three players placed on the ACC All-Tournament Team. Martir batted .462 in the tournament and added two home runs, three runs scored and four RBIs. Wade and Blake Schmit were also named to the team.
Stellar Szefc
• Head coach John Szefc is 70-48 at Maryland entering his third year in College Park. No Maryland skipper has ever won that many games in a two-year span.
• Szefc picked up his 300th career victory against Michigan on March 28.
• The native of Middletown, N.Y., has coached 80 players that have been drafted or signed professional contracts since 1997.
• Szefc earned 30 victories in his first season, the most ever by a Maryland first-year head coach. He